As The World Falls Down
by Apollonia
Summary: What if Angel & the LA crew came to help fight Glory?
1. Chapter 1

TIMELINE: Season Five Finale.  
  
SPOILERS: Season Five.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Based around a challenge by Sunnie sent to the BA_Fluff list about this time last year. Thought I'd post it here too.  
  
FEEDBACK: Yes please. I like feedback. You can even write and tell me it's crap, I don't care. I'd rather you told me it was good though(!)  
  
  
  
As The World Falls Down  
  
***  
  
Los Angeles, 2001  
  
"Well, I still think the British army guys were better dressed." Cordelia fought back.  
  
Angel glared, Wesley sighed. The argument had been going for a good half an hour at the very least. It had started innocently enough, with the three of them watching the movie Michael Collins on one of their rare days of inactivity. Then, Cordelia had made some random comment about the English being better dressed than the Irish. Angel hadn't taken this well.  
  
"They oppressed us for seven hundred years Cordelia! In some parts, they're still causing trouble! And all you care about are dumb clothes. You want to know why they're better dressed than us? Because they took all out land and food and money so they could afford good clothes and we couldn't even afford shoes!" He railed against her.  
  
Cordelia didn't bother trying to hide her surprise at Angel's outburst. Usually he kept his anger locked away until he happened upon a demon needing to be eliminated.  
  
"Angel... Calm down." She said. He stopped to look at her and saw a little fear in her eyes. In that second, all his anger dissipated and he sat down beside her.  
  
"I'm sorry Cordy."  
  
"What was all that about anyway?" She asked gently.  
  
"I remember... Before I was a vampire, I remember how the English could be. For a long time I thought they existed only to screw us over. The Irishman in me just came to the fore there for a minute. Sorry." He sighed.  
  
"You're Irish, huh? I don't remember you ever telling me that before." She grinned. "That why you and Doyle were such good pals?"  
  
"Must be." He agreed. The phone rang shrilly from the office. Wesley got up.  
  
"I'll get it. You two... carry on fighting or whatever you're doing." He smiled at the two of them before going off into the office.  
  
"How come you don't have an accent like Doyle's?"  
  
"I haven't been to Ireland in a long time. It disappeared somewhere along the way."  
  
"You've been to all those places in Ireland?" She asked. He smiled a little.  
  
"Some of them. Never went to Cork. But I was in Dublin. The bit at the beginning of the movie?"  
  
"The Easter something?"  
  
"Yeah. I helped. I had only recently taken charge of my soul again, and thought I'd join the fight. I had to leave though."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Patrick Pearse noticed I didn't die." Angel said wryly. "He mentioned it to a few friends."  
  
"And they got the wrong end of the stick?"  
  
"Pretty much." He said. "In a way, I was glad. I wouldn't have liked to end up in a British jail for years to come. I felt guilty about leaving them to lose." He said.  
  
"Angel, you feel guilty for leaving laundry for a day or two." Cordelia pointed out with a grin. Wesley came back in, looking somewhat grim.  
  
"That was Giles."  
  
"What's wrong? What's happened to Buffy?" Angel was up on his feet before the other two could draw breath.  
  
"She's fine. More or less. Less, actually. They're currently trying to save her sister Dawn from a Hell-god called Glory."  
  
"Dawn? What does a god want with Dawn?" Cordelia asked. "She's just a kid."  
  
"Giles didn't say. He's asked us to come to Sunnydale as extra muscle, if you will."  
  
"We'll go as soon as the sun sets." Angel said authoritatively. Then he paused.  
  
"What do you think Wes?"  
  
"I think you're right. I'll call Gunn to see if he's in." Wes nodded, his confidence growing with every assurance from Angel that he, Wesley really was worthwhile.  
  
"Sunnydale?" Cordelia asked. Angel nodded. He noticed how unsure she looked suddenly.  
  
"Come on, time to show Sunnydale the new Cordelia."  
  
"Thanks for the omission of 'improved' Angel." She grinned. "I'll head back home now to get some stuff."  
  
"You need a hand?"  
  
"No, I'll get Dennis to help. See you later." Cordelia headed out the door.  
  
***  
  
Angel, Wesley and Gunn were waiting in the Plymouth outside Cordelia's apartment. They had been waiting for at least half an hour, and it didn't look like Cordelia was going to be ready any time soon. Sighing, Angel got out of the car and went to the door. It opened on its own.  
  
"Hey Dennis, how are you?" He asked. "Cordelia ready yet?" The lights flickered a couple of times.  
  
"Angel? Can you help me?" Cordelia called from her bedroom. He went in. Her suitcase was stuffed so full she couldn't close it.  
  
"We're only going for a few days." Angel told her. She merely gave him a look.  
  
He opened the case fully and removed two pairs of shoes and the winter coat. Then, he easily closed the case. She opened her mouth to object, but closed it when he glared at her. He carried it out and she followed.  
  
"See you soon Dennis!" She called. She heard the lock turn in the door and headed down the path to the waiting car.  
  
***  
  
"They're coming, right?" Buffy looked out the window of the Magic Box anxiously.  
  
"Yes. Wesley told me that they'd drive down at sunset."  
  
"Which was over two hours ago. They should be here by now." She told them.  
  
"Buffy, they were bringing Cordelia. What chance is there that she'd be on time?"  
  
Xander said, affection colouring his words. Anya looked at him strangely, but said nothing. The sound of a car pulling up outside was heard, and soon, the Los Angeles delegation came through the door.  
  
"Hi!" Cordelia said breezily.  
  
Wesley and Gunn soon followed, with Angel lagging behind. He wasn't exactly thrilled to be back in Sunnydale, yet a part of him sang out at the thought that any second, he would see his Buffy.  
  
"Hi." A soft voice at his side whispered. He turned. There she was. Buffy. His beautiful Buffy.  
  
"Hi." He murmured back, feeling exhilarated just to see her standing there, less than a foot away. But he sensed more.  
  
He could feel how absolutely terrified Buffy was. It scared him, how much she felt. He'd never felt that from her before. When, if, he got the chance, he would speak to her. He stood silently as Wesley introduced Gunn to the group and then continued on.  
  
"Giles, what's the situation?" Wesley asked, much more forceful than those still in Sunnydale had ever seen him.  
  
"Well, it's somewhat of a problem. Glory is a Hell-god. She wants to get back home and needs the Key to do it?"  
  
"What's the Key?" Cordelia asked. Worried glances were shared by all.  
  
"Why don't you all sit down, and we'll explain everything." Willow said.  
  
***  
  
Dawn sat on the steps up to the 'dangerous' books. She couldn't take her eyes off him. He was so beautiful. How had she forgotten that? Maybe she'd never noticed before. How could that be? She tried to concentrate on the conversation, but couldn't tear away from him. How had she never noticed before? Maybe it was because then, he'd been with Buffy. Maybe it's because she'd been younger then. But now, she couldn't take her eyes off Angel.  
  
Now she understood a little better how Buffy had felt when Angel was here. Dawn understood a little of what made Buffy stick with Angel. She was still staring at him when he looked up. Seeing her looking, he grinned and winked at her. She beamed back. Angel had smiled! Angel had winked! At her!  
  
***  
  
Angel looked up at Dawn with concern. So, she was the Key. Glory the god wanted to kill her. Angel recalled that century or five he spent in Hell. One thing he remembered was talk of the mysterious female Hellgod, said to be one of the most feared and terrible of all the Hellgods. He was told to be grateful that she was in exile so he would not have to face her tyranny. He looked up at Dawn again. She was a pretty girl, and reminded him of Buffy in some ways. She looked scared out of her wits. He grinned and winked at her- a very un-Angel like action, but she perked up. He felt glad.  
  
He hated to see Dawn in pain as much as he hated to see Buffy the same. He recalled a time when he wasn't as soul having, and he would watch Buffy sleep. He also watched Dawn. She was younger then, not even twelve. She was completely innocent and unaware of the darkness that existed in the world. Angel shook his head. He remembered it, but it wasn't real. Dawn wasn't real, or she hadn't been until recently.  
  
***  
  
Buffy watched Angel as Giles spoke. She watched how his face stayed neutral, seemingly not reacting to the news that Dawn was the Key, Glory wanted the Key and they had to keep the Key away from her or the world would more or less end. Then, she saw him look up at Dawn. He smiled. He winked. She was surprised. Angel wasn't the smiling and winking kind. A bizarre jealous feeling shot through her. She immediately felt ashamed.  
  
She was jealous of her fourteen-year-old sister because her boyfriend- ex- boyfriend- winked at her. Buffy knew Angel was just being supportive of the clearly terrified Dawn, but something inside her wished it was her that Angel was here for.  
  
"Well, I think it would be best if Wesley and I researched. Buffy, Angel, you should patrol."  
  
"What about Dawn?" Angel asked immediately.  
  
"There's a protection spell around the Magic Box. No Hell gods allowed." Willow told him. He nodded, getting to his feet.  
  
"Patrol?" He asked Buffy, as if asking her to dance. She smiled a little, and got up.  
  
"Be careful." Giles warned as they went out. Then he and the rest of the group resumed their study of books.  
  
***  
  
"How have you been?" Buffy asked him. How was he supposed to answer that? Was he to tell her how he nearly went crazy, fired his friends and slept with Darla?  
  
"I've... Been OK." He said finally. "You?"  
  
"Nope. Since you came to see my at my mom's.... Nothing seems to be going right." She sighed despondently. Without thinking, he took her hand in his own.  
  
"Shh... Don't worry. We'll get through this. We will."  
  
"We?" She asked, bitterness creeping into her voice.  
  
"Yes. We." He said, looking right into her eyes. She looked back into the chocolate brown pools and felt like she was drowning. Drowning, but without pain or fear.  
  
"I missed you Angel." She whispered.  
  
"I missed you too." He replied. He bent down, as if to kiss her. Instead, he simply hugged her tightly. A part of Buffy was relieved, while another was disappointed.  
  
"Friends?" She asked nervously, remembering what Spike had once told them.  
  
"We'll try." He smiled.  
  
"That's the second time tonight. Is your face hurting?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Smiling."  
  
"Oh." He smiled again in spite of himself. "I've been feeling... lighter recently. Not too light." He hurried to reassure her. "But not like the whole world's out to get me. But not like there's no hope. There is hope." He said, his eyes shining.  
  
"That's what I'm told." Buffy said. "But I'm beginning to wonder."  
  
"Don't."  
  
"Why not? So far, all I can see is that everyone leaves me! My dad, my mom, Riley, you. And now someone wants to take Dawn away from me! What have I done to deserve all of this?"  
  
"Don't think like that, Buffy. Your mother didn't want to leave you. I didn't want to leave you."  
  
"No? So why did you?"  
  
"You know why I left." He said softly.  
  
"To give me a normal life." She scoffed.  
  
"In part. But I also knew that if I stayed, we would break the curse. Maybe not like last time. But I don't know what it is that will make me perfectly happy. I worried that just seeing you smile or something might do it. Or we wouldn't be able to resist each other. I couldn't do that to you again, Buffy." Her eyes widened. She had never really thought of it like that.  
  
"You're right." She said glumly. "I could never have resisted you much longer." She said.  
  
"Same here. I didn't want to hurt you. And I know I did by leaving. But you have to understand that if I stayed, chances were I'd only hurt you much, much more." He told her, looking sadder than she'd seen him.  
  
She began to truly understand how he felt about leaving her. She realised that it had hurt him just as much as it had hurt her. Maybe even more. They continued their patrol in silence, but it soon became clear that there were no demons of any kind in the vicinity.  
  
"We should go back." She finally spoke. He nodded.  
  
"Sure." They headed back to the Magic Box in silence.  
  
***  
  
When they arrived back, they found everyone arguing over where the new arrivals would stay.  
  
"I think we should stay at the mansion. There's enough room for us all and we can carry on researching." Cordelia said.  
  
"I'm not sleeping in that horrible old place." Anya said.  
  
"I always kinda liked it." Angel remarked from his place in the doorway. "And I think Cordelia's right. We can't all stay in here, but we can go there. It's simple enough for you to put a protection spell round the mansion, isn't it Willow?"  
  
"Sure. We've got everything we need." After a few more minutes' discussion, the group headed to the mansion.  
  
***  
  
It was surprisingly clean and tidy, with the remainder of Angel's old furniture still there. They settled down as soon as Willow and Tara had completed the protection spell.  
  
As the night wore on, they began to tire of research, and took lengthier breaks. Dawn had settled down in a corner of the garden, where the jasmine still grew. It had begun to get cold, but she had only a coat on.  
  
"Are you cold?" A voice called. She turned to see Angel standing there, partly illuminated by the light from inside.  
  
"No." He came and sat beside her on the hard floor.  
  
"You smell that?" He asked.  
  
"What?"  
  
"The flowers."  
  
"Sure. What are they?"  
  
"Jasmine. It's night-blooming."  
  
"Oh. Great." Dawn said, not really caring.  
  
"I know it's hard. I won't pretend to know how you feel, but I know it's hard." He told her. She looked up at him with shining eyes.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"But Dawn, whatever you were before, the person you thought you were... It is you. You are Dawn Summers. Nobody can ever take that away from you." He told her, holding her gaze.  
  
"No? Glory wants to."  
  
"But she can't. Nobody can make you feel bad without your permission." Angel told her.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah. You are Dawn Summers. She can't take that away from you."  
  
"But she wants to kill me."  
  
"Dawn, you have a super-hero sister. Buffy won't just let you be taken away. You know that." Dawn nodded. She did know that.  
  
"Will you help her?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Yeah. I won't let anyone hurt you Dawn. I mean it. I promise." He said solemnly. She looked at him in a way he'd seen Buffy look at him, and he suddenly felt uncomfortable. Did Dawn have a crush on him? He stood up.  
  
"You should go inside Dawn. It's cold." He said. She looked a little crushed at his change in tone, but went inside anyway.  
  
"Is she OK?" Buffy's voice said. He turned around.  
  
"I thought I was the one who did the sneaking up." He said. She smiled.  
  
"Well, now you know what it feels like. She has a crush on you." Buffy said, smirking.  
  
"Does she?" He asked.  
  
"Nice attempt at clueless Angel. Of course she does. She's got eyes." Suddenly, Buffy stopped. The conversation was becoming too... She wasn't sure what, but whatever it was, it shouldn't happen.  
  
"She's scared." Angel said.  
  
"Yeah? She's not the only one. I've never fought a god before. And every time I fought her, it was like.... Like I had no power, no strength. I doubt I even wrinkled her designer dress."  
  
"She's got a thing for clothes?"  
  
"Totally. When we first found out about her, I remember describing her as Cordelia, only evil."  
  
"Oh. Don't let Cordelia hear that. She hates competition." Buffy laughed a little in spite of herself, in spite of her fear.  
  
"I'm glad you're here Angel." She said.  
  
"Me too." He said, gazing at her intensely. She felt uncomfortable under his scrutiny, and so went back inside.  
  
***  
  
The researchers were coming up with nothing, and it frustrated all of them. So, after several hours, Giles suggested that they give up for the night. As they all settled down to sleep, Buffy realised that sleep wasn't forthcoming. She lay there, wishing for sleep.  
  
Suddenly, a loud crash came from another room. She shot up, and went into the grand hall. Anya was already there, looking shattered.  
  
"What happened?" Buffy asked. A for-once-speechless Anya merely pointed to a door. It opened, and Xander and Cordelia came out of the closet, both red- faced and adjusting clothing.  
  
"Xander?" Anya managed to choke out. He looked at her in a mixture of guilt, horror, mortification and shame.  
  
"Anya... I'm...." He started, looking from Anya to Cordelia back to Anya again.  
  
"I'm sorry." He said honestly. But Anya put her hand up to silence him.  
  
"Don't." Was all she could say, before running out of the mansion. Buffy glared at Xander and Cordelia, before running after Anya. She found her sitting on the stone steps.  
  
"Anya?"  
  
"Leave me alone."  
  
"No." Buffy's blunt answer silenced Anya's objections. Buffy sat beside Anya and put her arm around her shoulder.  
  
"Buffy..." Anya wailed. "He.... He was meant to be different!" Buffy herself felt like crying for the girl.  
  
"I know. He is a good guy... Most of the time. But Cordelia..."  
  
"She was his first love and means more to him than I do!" Anya howled.  
  
"Maybe Anya, maybe. But I know he cares about you."  
  
"What is it with men? They say they love you but then they go and have sex with someone else." Buffy had no answer.  
  
"There is someone Anya, somewhere, that will love you so much he'll do anything for you. He'll worship the ground you walk on and he won't ever want anyone but you." Buffy promised her. Buffy herself was thinking of Angel.  
  
"But that was supposed to be Xander!" Buffy was left again without an answer.  
  
"I can't tell you that all is going to be well. I can tell you that he does care about you. I think maybe, him and Cordelia, it doesn't mean anything."  
  
"They were in a closet!"  
  
"I know. But that's all they had a lot of the time. Just making out in closets. With you Anya... He was a grown up." Buffy said, groping for an answer that could possibly make the girl feel better. But if she was honest, she didn't think such a thing existed.  
  
***  
  
"Cordelia! What were you thinking?" Xander said, pacing up and down.  
  
"Me? What about you?" She shrieked.  
  
"Me? It's all your fault! I was perfectly happy before you arrived!" Xander shouted.  
  
"Now my girlfriend thinks I don't love her!"  
  
"You don't!"  
  
"I do!"  
  
"So why were you in a closet making out with me!" Cordelia looked genuinely hurt.  
  
"I don't know!"  
  
"Find out!" She yelled before turning on her heel. Xander slumped down onto the sofa and put his hands in his head.  
  
"What did you do to her?" A growl came from the doorway. Xander looked up to see Angel standing there, looking more than merely mad.  
  
"I..." Xander stopped, for the first time in his life truly lost for words. Angel came over.  
  
"If you hurt her, I'll kill you." He said.  
  
"I didn't.... No, I probably did hurt her. And Anya. You should just kill me now." At Xander's defeated tone, the anger left Angel (mostly) and he sat down.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"I don't even know. One minute me and Cordelia are arguing about which books to read next. Then, I'm coming out of the closet to run straight into Anya. I don't know what came over me."  
  
"Well..."  
  
"OK, I know what it was. I just don't know why. I love Anya."  
  
"You should talk to Anya." Angel advised. "Be honest. That's all you can do. And then it's up to her. She may not want you back."  
  
"I know." Xander got up. "Thanks Angel." He smiled tightly, before going out into the garden.  
  
***  
  
Just a second later, Buffy came back in.  
  
"Angel?" She said, seeing him sitting there.  
  
"Yeah. Come and sit down."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I need to talk to you." Angel sucked in an unnecessary breath. He was going to use his own advice to Xander himself.  
  
"I have to tell you something."  
  
"What? Quit with the cryptic thing." She demanded.  
  
"In LA... Darla..."  
  
"Darla? What about her? What did she do to you?" Buffy asked, knowing that Darla had been brought back.  
  
"It's not so much what she did to me..." He trailed off, losing his nerve. Then, he regained it. "It's what I did to her."  
  
"You staked her? Cause that would be a good thing." Buffy said. Then, she looked into his eyes and realised that he wasn't talking about that.  
  
"You...." She trailed off.  
  
"I slept with her. Buffy..." He went to apologise, but Buffy was already on her feet and out of the mansion. Angel slumped back in his seat.  
  
"Well done, Peaches. Bloody well done." Spike said, appearing in the room.  
  
"Go away Spike." Angel said through gritted teeth. He really didn't want to be dealing with Spike right now.  
  
"No. I want to know what you did to Buffy that made her run out of the house in the middle of the... well, nearly dawn." Spike said. Angel looked up. Since when did Spike call Buffy anything other than 'Slayer'.  
  
"What's going on Spike?" Angel asked.  
  
"Nothing. I just... We're friends now. Sort of. Captain Cardboard was never much help when it came to dealing with things that go bump in the night. So I helped her. This buggering chip..."  
  
"Makes you care?"  
  
"No. I make me care." Spike said, honestly for once. "The chip just started me thinking about stuff. And these bloody Scoobies are so..."  
  
"They make you want to care, make you want to help people." Angel remembered.  
  
"Yeah. So bloody goody goody. Makes me want to heave." Spike said, but Angel wasn't buying it.  
  
"What did you say?" Spike asked.  
  
"I told her that I slept with Darla." Angel said. "A few weeks ago." Spike snickered.  
  
"You and the old sire, huh? When I heard she was back I just knew you two..." Spike trailed off when he saw the look on Angel's face.  
  
"I didn't do it for fun. She drove me crazy. She made me so... miserable. I just wanted to feel something else."  
  
"So you felt her?" Spike sniggered.  
  
"Yeah." Angel slumped further down in his seat. Spike then did something he didn't expect to do- he went to find Buffy.  
  
***  
  
"Go away Spike."  
  
"How did you know it was me?"  
  
"You're the only one that smokes." She said. He threw his cigarette down onto the ground. Buffy hadn't gone far and was currently sitting on the hilltop.  
  
"What's up Buffy?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"No it isn't. I just spoke to Angel."  
  
"Then you know what's up." She retorted. He approached her.  
  
"No. Buffy, you don't understand. I can't believe I'm sticking up for the old poof, but... He didn't do it for kicks, or for love. He did it because she drove him crazy to the point of being at rock bottom."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"I looked at him in there. And you know, at least he was honest."  
  
"Yeah, he's a great man of our time." She said bitterly.  
  
"Give him a chance, Buff." Spike said, before turning away and walking back to the house before the sun came up.  
  
***  
  
"What's the matter?" Dawn appeared in the doorway of Angel's room. He was shuttered up in the room away from the sun. But at that moment, he wanted to go for some kamikaze sunbathing. How was he supposed to tell Dawn that he broke her sister's heart? Again.  
  
"What's the matter?" She repeated.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Why is Buffy in her room crying?" Dawn asked, allowing a little coldness to enter her voice. Angel looked at her.  
  
"Because I hurt her. Again." Dawn softened.  
  
"I bet you didn't mean to." She said. He laughed harshly.  
  
"Yeah. What does that matter?"  
  
"If you talk to her..."  
  
"She doesn't want to talk to me."  
  
"Maybe she does, you don't know." Dawn said.  
  
"No, she doesn't."  
  
"Did anyone tell you that you're a stubborn old man?" Dawn said. Angel had to crack a smile at that one.  
  
"It's been mentioned before."  
  
"Please talk to her, Angel. Please." At Dawn's pleading, Angel got up. He doubted this would be easy, but he realised that he deserved it.  
  
***  
  
However, the planets were clearly aligned to give Angel as much grief as possible within the next few days. He came out of his room to find everyone- with the exception of Buffy- in the main room. Xander and Cordelia were on opposite sides of the room, glaring at each other. Anya was glaring at both.  
  
"He's really here?" Willow said in a hushed tone.  
  
"I just saw him. He demanded to know where we were all holed up. He said he'd be along. But I didn't tell him where we were." Xander told them. At the sight of Angel, they all shut up.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
"Angel..." Cordelia started.  
  
"What's going on?" He repeated.  
  
"We're not sure." Tara said. Realising that they weren't going to talk to him, he walked through the room towards the room Buffy was in. He knocked softly.  
  
"Go away Angel." He heard. He knocked again.  
  
"I know it's you Angel. I know your knock." She said. He stifled a laugh. He knocked again. This time, the door swung open and he was confronted by a mad slayer.  
  
"Please?" He asked, smiling winningly. She said nothing, but simply went back onto the mattress she'd put down there. He followed her in and shut the door.  
  
"I don't love Darla. I never did."  
  
"That makes me feel a whole heap better Angel. Thanks for that." She spat.  
  
"Let me finish." He said. "I don't love her and if she didn't know exactly how to mess with my mind, it wouldn't have happened." Buffy opened her mouth to speak again, but he continued.  
  
"Darla spent several months trying to make me crazy and she succeeded. I thought I could save her, but Drusilla came along and proved I couldn't. Then, when I thought I couldn't get any lower, I did. That was the worst moment of my life and now it's even worse because of what it's done to you."  
  
"Was she good?" Buffy asked. Angel looked at her. How was he supposed to answer that one?  
  
"No." Simple. Direct. To the point. Would she buy it?  
  
"I don't believe you." She didn't buy it.  
  
"I'm not begging you to." He said. "I will tell you that it was the exact opposite of your birthday." He said softly, before turning to leave.  
  
"Wait." She said. He stopped. "Do you mean that?"  
  
"Yeah." He said. "Pure happiness with Buffy opposed to pure desolation and misery with Darla? Buffy, there's no comparison." He told her, then he left her alone to mull that one over.  
  
***  
  
Mull it over, Buffy certainly did. Suddenly, the betrayal didn't seem quite as horrific. It wasn't some spiteful act aimed at her heart, but the act of a lonely, unhappy, slightly crazy person who couldn't be with the one person he actually loved. Of course, there would be no quick, easy forgiveness, and she despised Darla even more than ever before.  
  
She sat alone for a little longer, but was interrupted by Dawn. She didn't have the heart to turn her sister away, so allowed the girl to sit beside her.  
  
"Hello." Dawn said softly. "Angel talked to you?"  
  
"Yes." Buffy turned to her. "Did you have anything to do with this?" She accused.  
  
"He didn't think you'd listen. I made him come in here anyway."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah." Dawn said. Buffy smiled a little.  
  
"You have a crush on Angel, don't you?" She asked. Dawn's reddening face and silence were the only answer Buffy needed.  
  
"But he loves you. Even if I weren't just some kid, I still wouldn't have a chance. Nobody has a chance compared to the great Buffy. If what Xander says is true, Angel never even noticed Cordelia at first, despite her best efforts." At that memory, Buffy laughed a little.  
  
This was true. No matter what happened, Angel always seemed to have eyes for Buffy alone. Even when he was Angelus again, she was all he ever thought about. If she wasn't so wracked with insecurity, Buffy might have been able to believe it inside her heart.  
  
"Besides, we might all die soon. Carpe diem." Dawn told her elder sister. Buffy looked at her.  
  
"Carpe diem? Where did you hear that?" She demanded.  
  
"Calm down. I saw Dead Poets Society at Michelle's the other day."  
  
"Oh. OK. Maybe you're right."  
  
"I am. I'm the Key. I must be right." Dawn said. Buffy stood up.  
  
"Fine. But that's the last time you get to use the Key excuse today."  
  
"All right then." Dawn smiled as her sister squared her shoulders and left the room.  
  
***  
  
Anya was finding it difficult to stay in the main room with everyone. She was feeling many different, conflicting emotions and she was having difficulty controlling them, or even understanding them. She tried to remember how she'd felt with Olaf before making him into a big, hammer- swinging troll. But it was so long ago.  
  
This seemed so much worse anyway. They were probably going to die within the next few days, and her boyfriend didn't love her.  
  
"Love's a bitch, ain't it?" A cockney accent asked.  
  
"Leave me alone Spike." She said dully. He sat beside her.  
  
"No."  
  
"Why not?" She demanded.  
  
"Because for some sodding reason I feel bad about letting you mope alone."  
  
"That's not like you." She said.  
  
"Tell me about it."  
  
"I don't understand. I thought he loved me, but he obviously doesn't because he went with her and I... I'm a demon, I don't understand all this.... stuff!" She finished in frustration. Spike put his arm around her.  
  
"He doesn't deserve you." He said.  
  
"But I wanted him to deserve me." She wailed. Spike understood that one.  
  
"I know."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"Because of Drusilla. And because of Buffy."  
  
"You love Buffy, don't you?"  
  
"I don't know. She drives me crazy, just like Dru. But I wouldn't ever stand a chance. Not with Angel in existence." He said, a little sadness in his voice.  
  
Without warning, Anya kissed him. Surprised and taken aback, Spike kissed her back for a moment. Then, just as suddenly, Anya pulled away.  
  
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She said, before picking up and running out.  
  
*** 


	2. Chapter 2

As The World Falls Down- Chapter Two  
  
***  
  
What of Glory while all this was afoot? Well, she was searching for her Key. She became increasingly frustrated and angry. Even the new shipment from Versace Couture wasn't helping.  
  
"Go and find.... My Key!" She shouted angrily.  
  
"How do we do that your divine fragrance?" One of her minions asked. She thought for a moment, her head beginning to ache. How she'd love to suck out one of that Slayer's friends brains. That was it!  
  
"Find one of the Slayer girl's friends. Bring one of them here." She said.  
  
"But... But... Your celestial magnificence..." One of the minions started.  
  
"What!" She screamed.  
  
"We tried that with the vampire." The minion cowered.  
  
"I know. But you're going to bring one of the Slayer's friends here, I'm going to suck their brain and send them back. That should get her attention. And I'm told that crazy people are very perceptive." Glory told them. "Now, GO!" She yelled. The minions ran off in all directions hoping to please their mistress.  
  
***  
  
It was a subdued group of world savers that spent the day researching feverishly. Anya was now not only upset and confused but guilty now over her kiss with Spike. Buffy and Angel were both deep in thought over each other. Giles and Wesley were wondering how the Hell to tell Buffy that the chances were that she'd have to kill her own sister. Cordelia and Xander were glaring at each other, hating themselves for getting carried away again. Only Dawn and Spike seemed remotely happy.  
  
"We have to get some supplies for a locating spell. We'll be back soon." Willow told the group.  
  
"Be careful." Giles said. Willow and Tara both nodded before going out.  
  
***  
  
"Do you think we were right not to tell Buffy?" Willow asked Tara as they walked down Main Street towards the Magic Box.  
  
"I think she has more important things to think about right now." Tara said. Willow nodded. As she pulled out the keys to the Magic Box, she paused.  
  
"What's wrong?" Tara asked.  
  
"There's someone in there."  
  
"But the door's still locked." Tara said. Willow nodded. She unlocked the door and opened it cautiously.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Willow!" The voice said, relieved. Willow's mouth set into a hard line.  
  
"Riley." She went inside, so angry she didn't notice Tara not following her.  
  
"What are you doing here?" She asked coldly. "The US army hasn't branched out into shop breaking?" Willow said.  
  
"No. I came to find you all." Riley said defensively.  
  
"That's great. But we don't need you." Willow told him as she picked up what she'd come for. He looked like he'd been slapped.  
  
"Wasn't Tara with you?" He asked. She looked around. Tara wasn't in the shop. She ran out into the street. Tara was lying on the sidewalk.  
  
"Wha... Pretty lights..." Tara mumbled. Willow crouched beside her.  
  
"She's...." Willow looked around anxiously. She saw Glory standing in the near distance watching them. Chanting angrily, Willow's eyes flashed and Glory disappeared.  
  
"What did you do?" Riley asked.  
  
"I teleported her." Willow said coldly. Then, she realised she needed Riley's help with Tara.  
  
"We need to get her inside." Willow said, helping Tara to her feet. Riley took Tara's other arm and went to lead her into the shop.  
  
"No. This way." Willow told him. They walked back up the street towards the mansion.  
  
***  
  
"They're not back yet." Xander said for the fifth time. "Where are they?"  
  
"Maybe they couldn't find what they were looking for." Cordelia snapped at him.  
  
"Or not. That shop is organised perfectly." Anya retorted. At that moment, the door swung open and Willow came in with Tara and Riley.  
  
"Help us!" Willow said. Everyone rushed over to them.  
  
"What happened?" Giles asked.  
  
"Glory. She's..." Willow said, now becoming slightly hysterical.  
  
"She sucked her brain out." Xander said, understanding.  
  
"Let's get her sat down." Giles said. Only when they had Tara sat comfortably and calm did they notice Riley.  
  
"What is he doing here?" Xander asked angrily.  
  
"He broke into the magic shop. I needed him to help me with Tara." Willow said, herself now calmer.  
  
"What's the situation here?" Riley asked in his puffed-up military voice.  
  
"Nothing to do with you." A new voice said. Buffy had been with Dawn in one of the bedrooms, but had come to see what the fuss was about.  
  
"Buffy." Riley said, more gentle now.  
  
"Get out." She said, her voice quavering slightly.  
  
"I came back to help. We heard reports..."  
  
"I don't care. Get out."  
  
"No. I'm here to help." Riley sat down beside Anya, who shifted away. Buffy sighed.  
  
"Whatever. Keep out of my way." She commanded. Riley looked around.  
  
"You're new." He said to Cordelia.  
  
"No I'm not." She said frostily.  
  
"Cordelia went to school with us." Willow told him. "She lives in LA now. So does Wesley." She said, pointing to the British guy with his nose in a book. Wes looked up for only a second, before going back to his book.  
  
"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" An amused voice said. Spike had come in and was smirking at Riley.  
  
"Captain Cardboard." Spike said, wondering what would happen when Angel found out Riley was back.  
  
"Hostile 17." Riley said, trying to sound menacing. Spike just laughed. Dawn came in, noticed Riley and then walked straight into another room.  
  
"Thanks Dawn." Angel said as she handed him the bundle.  
  
"That's all I could find."  
  
"I didn't leave much." He smiled.  
  
"I thought I should warn you."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Riley's here."  
  
"Riley?" Angel's voice was filled with both anger and surprise.  
  
"I was surprised too. Buffy didn't look happy about it." Dawn said. She then briefly explained about Tara, before finishing. "I'll leave you to it." She said, blushing slightly.  
  
***  
  
Riley was making himself comfortable when Angel came in. Everyone held his or her breath in anticipation. What was Angel going to do? Buffy's heart began beating wildly when she saw Angel. He was wearing the leather trousers she hadn't seen him wear since his Angelus days, and a velvet shirt he hadn't yet done up.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Riley demanded, jumping to his feet. Angel growled.  
  
"I was about to ask you the same thing, boy." Buffy almost laughed as she heard Angel emphasise the word 'boy'. Riley approached Angel, who was a great deal calmer than the soldier boy.  
  
"I'm here to help." Riley said, trying to overstate his importance.  
  
"Fine. Three jelly, three cream, three frosted." Angel snickered. Xander looked up, Angel going up in his estimation enormously. Riley didn't entirely understand the joke.  
  
"Whatever," He dismissed the vampire.  
  
"Is she going to be OK?" Angel asked Willow softly, deciding to pretend Riley didn't exist.  
  
"I... I don't know. We're going to look for some way to reverse the spell. But I'd probably have to get close to both of them. It's going to be difficult." She said.  
  
"We'll find something." He reassured her.  
  
Willow smiled slightly, only partly believing him. Buffy watched this, part of a plan formulating in her mind. Angel noticed her looking over at them and raised his eyebrows in question.  
  
"Are you OK, Buffy?"  
  
"I think so." She said a little coldly. Riley picked up on the distance between the two and felt a little better. Angel then noticed Riley's gaze resting on Buffy and glared at the boy. Willow stood up.  
  
"I think we should take Tara home for a while. Get her some clean clothes, maybe a rest in her own bed." She said.  
  
"Great idea. I'll come with you."  
  
"What about Dawn?"  
  
"She can stay here." Xander suggested. Buffy shook her head.  
  
"She's coming with me. We'll also stop off at my house." She said.  
  
"Do I have to?"  
  
"No. But I want to be able to keep an eye on you." Buffy said. For once, Dawn didn't disagree, deciding it would be nice to get out of the mansion for a while.  
  
***  
  
Glory could sense the spell protecting the mansion. She'd had her minions follow Willow, Tara and that dumb looking boy back to it, and now she waited for her chance. They had to come out some time, especially now that the witch was crazy, and when they did, she'd be waiting. But when she saw Buffy, Willow, Tara and the little sister come out together, she thought her luck was too good to be true.  
  
"Hey Slayer." She said in a lighter tone than she really meant. The four girls froze.  
  
"Get away from here." Buffy said.  
  
"Why? It's a free country." Glory said, hoping to extract some kind of information from Buffy.  
  
"Leave us alone."  
  
"You have my Key! I won't leave you alone until I have it! Where is it?" She screamed at Buffy. Then, Tara looked towards Dawn.  
  
"Look at the light... All green and pretty." Glory looked in the direction of Tara's gaze. The girl. It couldn't be! Then, she remembered how Ben told the minion that the Key was an innocent person. It was! Those monks had made a sister for the Slayer. Buffy's horrified look was enough proof. Moving with the speed of a cheetah, Glory grabbed Dawn.  
  
"Buffy!" The girl screamed. Glory just laughed, before running down the driveway.  
  
Buffy was in hot pursuit. At the scream, everyone had come to the door of the mansion, and they ran out towards Glory, with the exception of Angel and Spike, who were still, after all, allergic to sunlight.  
  
"Dawn!" They heard Buffy scream. Xander ran down the driveway and found the Slayer collapsed on the sidewalk, pointing towards a car driving away.  
  
"She took Dawn. She took Dawn. She took Dawn." She said over and over.  
  
"Come on Buffy." Xander pulled her up gently, and led her back to the mansion.  
  
***  
  
Dawn had been gone an hour and still Buffy hadn't said a word. She stood, staring at the fire in the hearth. Everyone had tried to talk to her, but she waved each and every one of them away. Then Angel tried. If anyone could help her, surely it would be Angel.  
  
"Buffy," He said softly, putting his hand on her shoulder. She glared at him.  
  
"Please Buffy." He said. She looked into his sad, pleading eyes and the dam broke. She sobbed and sobbed and sobbed like her heart was breaking. He wrapped his arms around her and there they stood for what seemed like hours. Finally, the tears were over and Buffy felt a little better.  
  
"Are you feeling better?" He asked softly.  
  
"I let Glory take her."  
  
"No you didn't. You couldn't have stopped her. Now we just have to stop her doing whatever she wants to do with Dawn."  
  
"I was supposed to protect her! I failed her!" Buffy sobbed.  
  
"No, not yet you haven't." Angel said. "You can still save her. And you will." He reassured her. But she wasn't having any of it.  
  
"How? I've given her to Glory! All she has to do now is complete her ritual and that's it, my sister's dead. Some protector I turned out to be." She said.  
  
"Well then, we stop Glory before she can do her ritual. When we find out what that is, exactly."  
  
"We have it!" Giles cried out from his position next to Wesley, surrounded by books.  
  
"You do?" Buffy asked, hope springing eternal once more.  
  
"Yes! It's a ritual to open the walls between the different dimensions of the universe. She's trying to get home." Giles said.  
  
"The key is used to open the portal," Wesley continued. "And... Oh dear. It's opened when life starts to flow, and only closes again when life ceases to flow."  
  
"Blood. Dawn's blood." Angel realised.  
  
"It's going to kill her?" Riley asked, once more winning the Most Inappropriate Comment award.  
  
"No. No it's not. We're not going to let it happen. When is this all meant to take place?"  
  
"Well, there's only a very small window of opportunity for the ritual to start. All we have to do is hold Glory off until that window is over." Giles said.  
  
"OK. Maybe we can come up with a plan." Buffy said. "A plan which doesn't involve the death of my sister." She said pointedly.  
  
"I don't know that that's a realistic possibility." Giles said.  
  
"What?" Buffy yelled.  
  
"You... I think you may have to kill her." Giles told her. Buffy's eyes were full of fire and rage at this.  
  
"What! Kill my own sister? What do you think I am? She's my SISTER! My life and blood! She's all I've got left in the world! Those monks made her from me and I was meant to protect her, not KILL HER!" She screamed, falling against Angel in exhaustion.  
  
"Buffy, this is about the world. If that portal opens, the walls which separate the dimensions of the universe will open and the world will be overrun with creatures that make vampires and Hell gods seem like cuddly toys." Giles told her, his voice cold.  
  
"I'm not going to listen to you." Buffy said. "There is another way, and I'm going to damn well find it!" She turned on her heel and stalked into the bedroom.  
  
***  
  
"Dawnie, Dawnie." Glory said in a nauseatingly sweet voice. Dawn glared back.  
  
"My sister's going to kick your ass." She said.  
  
"Maybe. But she's not really your sister, is she? She probably only cared about you because you were my Key. Now, she'll probably just kill you."  
  
"She wouldn't ever do that. She's not evil like you." Dawn shot back.  
  
"You've got spirit, little girl. I like it." Glory smiled at Dawn.  
  
"Yeah? If you like me so much, why don't you let me go?"  
  
"Nice idea, but no." Glory smiled again, before transforming into Ben.  
  
***  
  
"Buffy," The soft voice was comforting. She was again sat on her bed, but this time instead of defiance, she was full of defeat.  
  
"I can't kill my own sister, Angel." She said. Without hesitation, he sat beside her.  
  
"I know. And you won't. We will find a way around that. We will."  
  
"Nice attempt at blind optimism," She joked weakly.  
  
"Thanks. We're all working on alternative options. None of us want Dawn to die. And so, she won't." Angel smiled at Buffy, who rested her head on Angel's shoulder. And it felt like it belonged there.  
  
"I'm sorry." She said.  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For how I reacted about Darla. I don't pretend to understand the relationship between the two of you, but I know better than you think the loneliness you felt."  
  
"You don't have to be sorry for anything Buffy."  
  
"But I am, just the same."  
  
"Me too." He put his arm around her.  
  
"Angel, promise me... Promise me that you'll look after Dawn."  
  
"Buffy, you're going to look after Dawn."  
  
"But if I..."  
  
"You're not going anywhere, young lady."  
  
"No? Glory has it in for me. She knows I'll try and save Dawn. And if I fail, promise me you'll look after her."  
  
"Buffy..."  
  
"Promise."  
  
"I promise. I promise I'll look after Dawn. And you."  
  
"Yeah? For how long?" She said, remembering the day he left.  
  
"How does forever sound? Does forever sound good to you?" He asked her. She looked up, now remembering the night of her mother's funeral.  
  
"Sounds pretty good." She said, her eyes filling with tears.  
  
"No more crying." Angel commanded softly. "We can't have a dehydrated slayer on our hands." She smiled.  
  
"OK." Then, she kissed him and for a few seconds, all was right with the world.  
  
"Feel better?" He asked.  
  
"A bit." She was visibly brightened, as if one of her loads had been eased. "We should go and help." They stood up.  
  
"Oh and Angel?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Nice pants." She smiled. He looked a little embarrassed, but smiled anyway. Her expression changed to the one he saw on Wesley's face before each 'Eureka!'.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I've just had a great idea." She said, grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the room.  
  
***  
  
"I'm sorry Dawn. I am. But it's you or me. And I'm on the side of me." Ben explained.  
  
"Then you're scum." She countered.  
  
"Don't talk like that to Glory."  
  
"Why not? Maybe she'll kill me."  
  
"No, she won't. Not yet anyway. But there are worse things than death." He said.  
  
"Yeah. Being stuck with you is pretty high on that list." She said, full of defiance. She knew Buffy was coming for her and nothing would persuade her to think otherwise.  
  
***  
  
"What do you think?" Buffy asked the assembled group.  
  
"I think it's madness!" Riley said, gaining glares from the rest of the group.  
  
"Are you still here?" Buffy snapped. He shrank back in his seat. Angel couldn't help but snicker. Buffy swatted him on the arm.  
  
In her mind, she ran through the list of comparisons. In every way, Angel won out over Riley. He was tall, dark and handsome, charming and intelligent. Riley was an idiot. She saw that now.  
  
"I think it's worth trying. But we need to find where Glory is." Giles said.  
  
"Got that covered. We realised that Glory has some kind of control over the people whose brains she takes. We can get Tara to lead her to wherever Glory is." Buffy said. Willow nodded.  
  
"That's a good idea. But we'll stop her before she gets inside. I don't want her there until I can get them together to get her mind back." Buffy nodded.  
  
"Right. What about you, Angel, what do you think?"  
  
"I think it's a good idea. But I wonder if Dawn will know to play along?"  
  
"She will. If not, she'll think it's all gone bad and be too scared to say anything until you can reassure her." Buffy said.  
  
"We're agreed?" Xander said.  
  
"I think it's a ridiculous idea that will get us all killed." Riley cut in.  
  
"Then LEAVE! Get the HELL OUT! Go on, get out! Stop getting in our way and leave us to it!" Buffy screamed at him. Xander felt like applauding.  
  
"Go and get some vampire whore to drain you or something, anything. Just leave us alone! We've got important things to do!" She continued her tirade.  
  
Riley stood, and moved as if to approach her, but Angel grabbed him, opened the front door and threw him out. Then, Xander did applaud.  
  
"It's dark now. I should get going." Angel said.  
  
"Right. Willow, come with us." Buffy said. Willow nodded, and helped Tara stand.  
  
"Tara, baby? Is there somewhere you should be?" She asked gently. Tara nodded, and started walking. She went out of the front door. '  
  
At a comfortable distance, Angel, Buffy and Willow followed. They walked through town until they arrived at a building site. A huge tower had been built. Before Tara could get any closer, Willow took hold of her.  
  
"This is it." Angel said. He kissed Buffy like he hadn't done for a long time, before heading inside. Then, Buffy, Willow and Tara went back to the mansion as quickly as they could.  
  
***  
  
"Well, isn't this just the well-oiled machine?" A harsh, mocking voice called out above the din. Glory looked up to see a tall dark man in leather standing there.  
  
"Who the Hell are you?" She demanded. He smirked.  
  
"Don't you know? I'm a monster." He said, approaching her. Glory, satisfied he was of evil origin, allowed him to get closer.  
  
"The name's Angelus." He said.  
  
"Oh! The vampire. Aren't you a good boy now?"  
  
"Not anymore." He said, his eyes cold. She was convinced.  
  
"What are you doing here? Looking for something to eat?"  
  
"No. No, I'm here to help you. See, I hear you're having slayer problems."  
  
"Hardly. She's not exactly a match for me."  
  
"But she's been giving you grief?"  
  
"A bit." Glory admitted.  
  
"Aren't you a little bit worried that the Slayer might wreck your plans for tomorrow night?"  
  
"How do you know about tomorrow night?" She demanded.  
  
"There's not a lot I don't know," He told her. "I'm here to offer my assistance. I'll keep the slayer off your back." He said. "And onto hers." He joked. She smiled.  
  
"OK. Go keep an eye out for her or something." She said, letting herself look at the handsome vampire a little more closely. He smiled fleetingly at Dawn and then left.  
  
"Isn't he the cutest, Dawnie?" She asked the girl tied to a chair.  
  
"The cutest." Dawn said bitterly, thinking that perhaps Angel had actually turned.  
  
Then she realised that the smile he'd given her held no malice and had been intended to reassure her. It was all part of Buffy's plan! She felt better, but tried not to show it.  
  
"I like him," Glory said.  
  
"You don't want him." Dawn said, playing along. "He's way evil."  
  
"Really?" Glory was interested.  
  
"Yeah. He tried to send the whole world to Hell once."  
  
"He did?"  
  
"Yeah. Buffy kicked his ass all the way to Hell, just like she's going to do with you."  
  
"Buffy beat him?"  
  
"Yeah. Since he's been back from Hell, he's been out for revenge. I have to say, you're lucky to have such a murderous fiend on your side."  
  
"I am? I am." Glory nodded. "He makes a change to the usual minions, I have to say." She smiled. All was working out just as she planned.  
  
***  
  
The next day went by slowly, both sides waiting for nightfall, when it would all kick off. Buffy intended to distract Glory before the ceremony, for just long enough. After that, none of it mattered, just so long as Glory didn't get her sister. Tensions were now running high in the mansion.  
  
"Anya?" Xander asked, having finally gotten the girl alone.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I'm sorry." He said honestly.  
  
"You are?"  
  
"Yes. Completely."  
  
"And Cordelia?"  
  
"Madness. Absolute madness. Please forgive me Anya. I love you." He said. She seemed won over. He pulled out a little box.  
  
"I bought this before any of this, intending to ask you before now." He said, opening the box. A pretty but understated gold diamond ring gleamed in the box.  
  
"We're going to die, aren't we?" She said.  
  
"No."  
  
"But always in the movie, the girl says yes then she dies!"  
  
"This isn't a movie Anya, this is real life."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"I bought this some time ago, but I had to get up the nerve to ask you. I love you so much Anya, I really do. And when we beat Glory..."  
  
"If we beat Glory."  
  
"When we beat Glory, I want to marry you." He said, smiling anxiously. She took the ring and examined it.  
  
"It's not a very big diamond." She commented.  
  
"I know. But I thought you'd like it." He said.  
  
"I do."  
  
"Good, great." He sounded relieved.  
  
"I still haven't forgiven you for your closet antics." She said. "But OK. When we beat Glory, I'll think about marrying you." She told him.  
  
He was so happy, he took her into his arms and swung her around. Despite wanting to stay mad at him, she laughed.  
  
"Put me down! You want me to get dizzy?"  
  
"No. Never." He kissed her, she kissed back and in her heart Anya forgave Xander. They had bigger things to worry about now.  
  
***  
  
Angel had spent the daytime holed up out of the sun on the site. He had tried to persuade Glory to let him guard Dawn, hoping he'd be able to smuggle her out, but Glory stayed by Dawn's side constantly.  
  
The couture queen had changed into what Angel recognised as pre-Byzantine ceremonial robes, and had forced Dawn into something similar. Clearly, Glory was the kind to go by the book.  
  
***  
  
Buffy and the gang were armed and dangerous. They readied themselves for the coming battle, and as they were about to leave, a van pulled into the mansion grounds. A small guy got out.  
  
"Oz!" Xander exclaimed.  
  
"What's up?" He asked.  
  
"No time to explain now. Xander, tell him on the way." Buffy said, handing Oz a nasty looking axe.  
  
"You want me to drive you?"  
  
"That would be cool." Buffy said, and they piled into Oz's van, arriving outside Glory's site before they'd scheduled.  
  
They filled Oz in as to the details of the plan, and realised he could have a big effect. All he had to do was let a little wolf out... Then, it was time. They spilled out of the van and headed to their places. Willow followed Tara into the site. Glory noticed the girl come in.  
  
"Hey! What are you doing here?" She demanded, forgetting that Tara was crazy. At the moment, anyway.  
  
"She's with me." Willow spat, more venomous than she'd ever been before. Chanting, she grabbed Glory by the head and did the same with Tara. Then, they each flew back in different directions.  
  
***  
  
Buffy came in.  
  
"Slayer girl! You came!" Glory said.  
  
"Hello Glory." She said, throwing the Dagon Sphere at Glory. It seemed to have a real effect on the Hell god until she stomped on it. Then Buffy approached and for a minute, they fought viciously. Then, Glory knocked off Buffy's head. Sparks flew and Glory's eyes went wide.  
  
"The Slayer's a robot? Hey, did anyone else know that the Slayer's a robot?" She asked of no one in particular. She was hit hard around the head and saw Buffy standing there.  
  
"You're really not the smartest God in the heavens, are you?" She asked, holding the Troll God's hammer. Glory got up and they continued to fight.  
  
***  
  
Willow went over to Tara, lying on a pile of bricks.  
  
"Tara? Tara? Are you all right?" Tara's eyes opened.  
  
"Willow!" She said, a smile spreading across her face. Willow looked relieved and kissed Tara.  
  
"Tara! You're back!"  
  
"Yeah." Was all the exhausted Tara could say. Willow helped her up and to a place of safety.  
  
At least, safe compared to the battleground that had opened up. They watched as Giles, Wesley, Cordelia, Gunn, Xander and Anya battled the many minions of Glory.  
  
They were blocking the way up some stairs. Where did they lead? Willow followed them, and found herself looking at the top of the tower. She could make out a figure standing there. It could only be Dawn.  
  
"Spike." She said in her mind to the vampire across the way.  
  
"Yeah?" He sounded confused.  
  
"Get up there."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Just do it." She said. He got up and ran. Willow chanted, and everyone flew out of the way, clearing Spike's path to the steps. He ran up two by two, hoping to get to Dawn quickly.  
  
***  
  
Buffy and Glory were now fighting their own way up the tower, but were so equally matched that their fight was a stalemate, neither conceding any ground. Brutally they fought. Buffy noticed Spike slip past her up the steps, but she didn't notice his shadow.  
  
"Dawn!"  
  
"Spike!"  
  
"Just a sec, I'll have you out of there in no time." He went to approach her, but noticed Dawn look past him. He turned. There stood Doc.  
  
"Doc? What are you doing here? You're dead!" He remembered getting the books off the strange creature.  
  
"Some of us see Glory as a deity not as a clotheshorse." Doc said. Spike's eyes widened in horror as he realised.  
  
Doc pulled out a knife. Spike ran at him, intending to get the knife, but it went into his side. In pain and off balance, Spike went to run as Doc again, but Doc took advantage and pushed Spike. He fell, right the way down to the concrete floor below.  
  
***  
  
Angel had been fighting minions when he saw Spike fall, and he saw the man up there with Dawn. Punching a minion one last time, he ran up the stairs. Buffy and Glory were over half way up by now.  
  
"Angelus! Help me!" Glory demanded. Angel smirked.  
  
"Sorry. Can't do that."  
  
"What? You're on her side?"  
  
"Absolutely." He smiled at the Hell god, before helping Buffy to unbalance the god enough to get her prone on the ground. Then, Glory morphed into Ben. Buffy could never kill a human, and Angel knew that. So, Buffy went up the tower, while Angel was left with Ben.  
  
"Help me?" Ben asked. Angel shook his head.  
  
"People like Buffy can't kill humans. That's why she's a hero. Now, me, on the other hand, I don't mind killing humans like you." He grabbed Ben's throat and held on tight until the young man had suffocated. Then, realising that part of the challenge was over, he ran up to Buffy.  
  
***  
  
But, even Buffy was too late. Doc had started the bleeding.  
  
"Shallow cuts... Shallow cuts..." He murmured to himself. She approached.  
  
"Buffy!" Dawn whimpered as the silver blade sliced across her stomach.  
  
Buffy grabbed Doc and they fought. Doc, for all his cutting finesse, was no match for Buffy, and quickly found himself following Spike's trajectory down the side of the tower. The exhausted Slayer ran to her sister and began trying to undo the knots that kept Dawn tied there.  
  
Angel had now arrived and started to help her. It took them some time, and just as they pulled her away, the first drops of blood fell, opening the portal. They exchanged looks of horror.  
  
"No!" Buffy exclaimed. It couldn't be happening, not after what they did.  
  
"Let me go!" Dawn tried to wriggle from her sister's grip.  
  
"No! You can't." Buffy told her.  
  
"But I have to! I have to save the world this time. You got to do it last time!" She said. Buffy smiled at her sister's joke.  
  
"No. Dawn..." She whispered.  
  
***  
  
Angel stood there, watching them.  
  
"Those monks made her from me!" Buffy shouted. He saw it in his mind. Then, he saw something else he'd been present at.  
  
"The fire in the mansion burned heartily. Angel staggered out of his bedroom towards the centre of the room, followed closely by Buffy."  
  
This wasn't right. Why was Angel seeing it from the view of a spectator?  
  
"Buffy hit him. He didn't give in. She hit him again. Then again. Finally, the demon was up. She pulled his head towards her shoulder and pressed his lips against her skin. The man inside Angel was powerless, and the demon's fangs ripped into Buffy's skin. He was hungry and sick and then the blood began to flow down his throat."  
  
Angel watched as Buffy persuaded him two years ago to drink. He watched as they fell to the floor.  
  
He understood! Buffy's blood was his blood, he knew that. Buffy's blood was Dawn's blood. It was how he imagined Cordelia's visions to be, and he found clarity within the chaos around him. He noticed Buffy looking at him strangely. His eyes shone as he took her into his arms and kissed her, full of the passion he had always felt for his Buffy. As he broke away, her eyes filled with understanding.  
  
"Don't, Angel! Don't you dare leave me again!" She screamed, still holding onto Dawn tight. He smiled at her. He kissed Dawn on the forehead.  
  
"Look after her Dawn." He said. She nodded numbly, for she too knew what he was going to do.  
  
"I love you Buffy. It was always you, Buffy." He kissed her one final time, before running towards the portal. His destiny. He felt the platform end, and he threw himself towards the white light of the portal.  
  
"ANGEL!" He heard Buffy's anguished scream. Then all went white.  
  
***  
  
Buffy screamed his name, hoping he could hear her. Dawn stood with her, staring after him. Then, as they saw the portal close they ran down the tower. Everyone had gathered there. Spike looked truly close to tears as he looked upon the broken, bloodied body of his grandsire.  
  
Giles looked stunned, as if he'd never truly expected a creature like Angelus to make such a sacrifice. In that moment, Giles forgave Angel for everything. Even Jenny. Xander looked both stunned and impressed, and he too finally forgave Angel for taking Buffy away from him. The sound of sobbing cut through the night. Willow and Tara stood hunched together, tears streaming down the face of the redhead, who had always understood the difference between Angel and Angelus as well as Buffy.  
  
Wesley stood, trying to keep his upper lip stiff, but he couldn't do it. He collapsed onto the floor and put his head in his hands. Gunn sat beside him, trying to comfort both the Englishman and himself.  
  
Cordelia sank to her knees beside Angel and sobbed. She sobbed for the man she loved in her own way. He had been her protector and her brother and she loved him. Then, there was Buffy.  
  
***  
  
For the longest moment, her face was stony. She stood, impassive, looking upon his body. Beside her, tears were streaming down Dawn's cheeks. Then, the most excruciating sound shattered what was now a peaceful night. Buffy's lungs filled with air and she wailed.  
  
She howled a scream known previously only to Westley from The Princess Bride, or Michael in The Godfather Part Three. It was a primal sound of pure and ultimate suffering. Then, when there was no more scream to be heard, she collapsed against Dawn weeping.  
  
***  
  
Angel had expected all to go black. Surely that was customary. That's how it had been when he went to Hell, and he'd certainly expected to end up there. Instead, as his eyes adjusted to the light, he found himself standing beside gates. Pearly gates, to be exact. Surely the cliché wasn't true? But no, a man in a white robe was standing there behind a lectern, upon which rested a hefty looking book.  
  
"You're here, Liam." The man said, coming from behind his lectern to approach Angel.  
  
"St. Peter?"  
  
"Absolutely." He smiled. "Good to see you Liam. And I mean that."  
  
"What am I doing here?"  
  
"Well, you're dead."  
  
"I know that. Why am I here?"  
  
"What, instead of Hell? Because if you want, I can arrange..."  
  
"No, I just... I don't know." Angel said, expecting to be tired. Instead, he felt oddly awake.  
  
"Well, you're not as bad as you like to make out, are you Angel? Besides, we've been keeping a close eye on you. You've been a very good boy recently."  
  
"Yeah. Do you think Santa will leave lots of presents?" He snapped. "Sorry. I didn't..."  
  
"No, no. You're quite right. I was patronising. St. Paul's always telling me off about it. Well, we've been reviewing your situation. We're not sure you belong here."  
  
"I could have told you that." Angel muttered. "So why didn't you just send me straight to Hell?"  
  
"I didn't say you belonged there either. Or Purgatory. You see, The Almighty doesn't think you should be here yet. It's not your time."  
  
"Not my time? I'm 248 years old, how much time do I get?"  
  
"That's just it, we're not sure. God's working on it right now. Why don't you make yourself comfortable while you wait?"  
  
"OK," Angel was a little confused now as he allowed St. Peter to lead him through the Gates of Heaven. It was the most beautiful place he'd ever seen, but that didn't surprise him. There were people, or rather, souls there, lounging around a swimming pool.  
  
"Make yourself comfortable. I'll come and get you when God's made his decision." Peter smiled at Angel, then disappeared.  
  
***  
  
Angel sat, watching the contented, happy people there and he felt not only comfortable but also comforted. Father Fitzgerald had been right all those years ago in Galway. There was a Heaven and there was a God. He wondered if Father Fitz would have agreed about the pool and the adjoining bar... But then, he realised it didn't matter. This was Heaven, after all.  
  
"Angel? God's ready for you now." St. Peter had appeared again, and Angel now followed him up some stairs. Sitting in a huge chair behind a big white desk was God himself, the Almighty.  
  
"Hello Angel," He said, smiling benevolently. Angel opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again. What do you say to God, honestly?  
  
"Young man, do you not have anything to say to your Creator?" A stern Irish voice asked. Angel turned. Standing there, beside someone Angel instinctively knew as the Archangel Gabriel, was his father.  
  
"Father?" He whispered hollowly.  
  
"That's right." The old man looked stern, but then smiled. "My son is finally here."  
  
"Yes." God said. "That's part of the problem. You shouldn't be here. Angel my boy, what did you do that for?" Angel looked confused. What had he done?  
  
"What do you mean, Father?" He asked God, knowing to address God as such. He was The Father, after all.  
  
"I mean, why did you throw yourself into that portal?"  
  
"To save the world." Angel said. God laughed. It was a hearty, full laugh, full of love and enough to make anyone smile.  
  
"Yes, I expect so."  
  
"Didn't you send that vision?"  
  
"Vision?" God was confused.  
  
"I saw myself drinking Buffy's blood." He said softly.  
  
"That was no vision, my son. That was your mind. And you were right to do it. But it does rather mess up my plans. Had you forgotten your shanshu?" God asked him.  
  
"I had, Father." He said. "I was under the impression it would never come."  
  
"Kids today, so impatient." God said, rolling his eyes in amusement. "Well, we'll have to see about that."  
  
"What?" Angel said.  
  
"You go back. Enjoy your life as a human, Angel."  
  
"No!" Angel said.  
  
The assembled saints and angels looked shocked. Nobody had talked back to God since... Since John Lennon arrived and asked to start a band instead of joining the choir. That had worked out actually, since Jimi and Keith Moon and a whole bunch of others joined him. But still, that had been a tense moment. Just like it was now.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I can't be human. Buffy needs my help. People need my help. I'm no use to anyone as a human."  
  
"That's true. Well... How about a very strong human? I know you well enough to know you'll carry on fighting regardless." God said. "Is that good enough?" He smiled that beautiful, benevolent smile again and tears formed in Angel's eyes.  
  
"That would be the greatest gift you could give, Father." Angel told him. "Thank you."  
  
He approached God and kissed his hand. God smiled down on him.  
  
"You're a good man Angel. You always were. And no matter what you thought, I never abandoned you. Take this with you." God motioned to Gabriel, who handed Angel a beautiful gold cross. Angel hung it around his neck.  
  
"Thank you, Father." He said again.  
  
"You can go home now. I'll see you again. Not for a while, OK?" God said. Angel nodded, the tears flowing freely and unchecked down his cheeks. Then, as he followed Peter, he stopped beside his own father.  
  
"I'll try and make you proud this time." Angel told him. To his surprise, a tear slipped down his father's cheek and the man smiled.  
  
"I always was, son." He said.  
  
To Angel's further surprise, the man who on Earth had been loathe to show anyone affection of any kind, kissed his son on the cheek. Finally, over two hundred years late, peace between the two was made. St. Peter then led Angel back out through the gates.  
  
"See you again. Not for a while." Peter repeated God's words. Angel nodded, a smile on his face.  
  
***  
  
Cordelia, kneeling beside Angel, was the first to notice. Then, Angel coughed.  
  
Everyone looked towards him. Gone were the cuts and bruises. His clothes were no longer torn. He seemed almost to be glowing. He opened his eyes. He was back! He could feel his heart inside his chest pounding away. He looked around for Buffy. She was standing there, looking towards him with hope and disbelief in her eyes.  
  
"Angel?" She asked. He nodded and she ran to him. She placed her hand over his now-beating heart. She felt the warmth of his skin and she smiled, beautiful and grateful. He laughed.  
  
"You won't believe where I've just been." He said.  
  
"I don't care. You're back." She kissed him, and pulled him close, as if trying to believe he really was there.  
  
"You're human." Anya said. "Join the club."  
  
"Thanks. It's nice."  
  
"Angel." Buffy began to cry again, this time with joy. "Angel. You're really real."  
  
"I'm really real." He said in affirmation. She pulled away to look at him. Then, she asked.  
  
"Where did you get that?" She pointed to the gleaming gold cross around his neck. "I got it... I got it from Father." He said in his old cryptic way.  
  
"And you're here to stay?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Forever?"  
  
"Well, a while, at least." Angel said. She laughed again with pure joy and kissed her human Angel again. And for once, they got to live happily ever after.  
  
THE END!  
  
Let me know what you think by reviewing! 


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